Box or container partition-crate for bottles and other objects



arch 13, 1934. J, E, WOOTEN BOX OR CONTAINER PARTITION CRATE FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER OBJECTS Filed Nov. 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 13, 1934. J. E. WOOTEN BOX OR CONTAINER PARTITION CRATE FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER OBJECTS Filed NOV. 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 13, 1934 PATENT QFFECE BUX OR CONTAENER PARTITION- CRATE FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER OBJECTS John Earle Wooten, Little Rock, Ark., assignor to Walter M. Purvis, Little Rock, Ark.

Application November 23, 1931, Serial No. 576,853

Claims.

My invention relates to box crates for holding and shipment of bottles and other articles. It has among its objects to provide a box with crates forming a number of compartments or 5 divisions which will separate the articles from one another and tend to hold them in place during shipment or handling of the b x crate.

It has further for its object to construct the individual crates in a manner permitting them to be installed in a box or container, one above another in spaced relation to each other and constructed so that the several crates will be held in spaced relation to each other during shipment or storage. It has further for its object to form the crate in individual units, one unit separable from another, so that any desired number may be installed in a box or container, subject to removal and replacement as conditions may require. It also has for its object to so form the crates that they will sustain in proper relation to one another, bottles or jars or like objects of irregular outline or cross dimensions.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear,

the invention consists in the features hereinafter particularly described and then sought to be clearly defined by the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective of a box containing a plurality of removable crate partitions;

Figure 2 is a perspective of one of the crate partitions, removed from the box;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of two of the spaced partitions, one above the other, and a jar fitting in registering compartments of the two partitions;

Figure 4 is a perspective of a box, with a plurality of removable crate partitions installed therein, the upper crate partition having compartments of a smaller area or diameter than the compartments to the lower partition and adapted to retain in proper position receptacles or jars of varying cross-section;

Figure 5 is a perspective of the lower crate partition of Fig. l, removed from the box;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of two crate partitions, showing a jar or receptacle of irregular outline retained in position by the partition crates;

Figures '7, 8 and 9 are fragmentary sectional elevations showing further modifications In the drawings the numeral 1 designates a box, or container, which may be formed of wood or heavy cardboard, or other suitable material,

and in which the crate partitions will be installed. In the form of the partitions illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, each partition is formed of suitable wire, and comprises a frame 2 which may be reinforced or braced by one or more rods or strands 3 connecting opposite sides of the frame, the bracing members being secured by welding or soldering or otherwise to the frame. An appropriate number of wire strands 4 extend in one direction in relation to the frame and are formed with end portions 5, at right angles to the length of the strands 4, say in a downward direction as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Other strands 6 extend across the frame transversely to the strands 4, and have their ends 7 bent at right angles to the length of the strands 6, say as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The strands 4 and 6 where they cross each other and where they contact with the frame of the crate are soldered or welded to each other so as to hold the strands and frame together.

The strands 4 and 6 and the frame 2 form a number of compartments or divisions 3. When a plurality of these crate partitions are installed in a box the end portions 5 of the lower partition may rest upon the bottom of the box or container and constitute legs for sustaining the crate proper above or spaced from the bottom of thebox, and the end extensions (,will lie 35 against opposite sides of the box and terminate substantially along the upper edges of the box as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. Another crate partition inay be installed in the box so that the bent-end portions of the wires 6 will extend downwardly parallel with opposite sides of the box and constitute legs for supporting the upper crate partition above and spaced from the lower crate partitiomand the portions 5 of the strands 4, of such partition, may extend so as to lie against opposite end walls of the box as indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings and have their ends terminate substantially on a line with the top edges of the box as illustrated in the drawings. The end extensions of the strands of the two crate partitions which extend substantially to the line of the top edges of the box will contact with the inner surface of the top of the box when secured in place, and serve to prevent the crate partitions from rising in shipment or handling of the box, and the end extensions of the other strands which abut or rest upon the bottom of the box as shown in Figure l serve to space the lower partition crate from the bottom of the box, and the end exten- 10 sions of the strands of the other partition crate which contact with the bottom of the box likewise support its crate partition in spaced relation to the other crate partition. Each crate partition may be formed like its companion crate partition, and when one is placed within the box in inverted relation to the other, the positioning of the bent end portions of the strands of the individual partition crates assume the positions indicated in Figure l of the drawings so that the parts will function as described.

The form of crate partitions illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings serve to receive a jar, vessel or receptacle 9, of the general shape illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, in the divisions or compartments of the upper and lower crate partitions so that the jar, vessel, or receptacle is held in place and prevented from striking or knocking against a jar or receptacle that will fill an adjoining division or compartment, and thus damage or injury by breakage or otherwise is avoided. The crate partitions being formed of wire strands are light and yet strong and easy to handle, and each crate being an individual unit a plurality of crate partitions may be readily assembled within a box or container and individually removed when desired. The partition crates may be sold as individual units and installed as desired by the purchaser in a box of appropriate dimensions and material and without requiring skilled labor for installation and removal of the several partition crates. Another advantage of this construction is that in filling the crate with bottles or jars a number of the bottles maybe taken in each hand and when brought into register with the division or compartment spaces 8, the hands may be removed and the bottles will deposit on the bottom of the box, being guided in their downward movement by the strands forming the four sides of the division spaces or compartments. Accordingly it will be appreciated that the container or box crate may be more expeditiously filled with the bottles as it is not necessary to place each bottle separately or individually in place.

In the modification illustrated in Figures 4, 6, and 8 of the drawings each partition crate may be formed substantially alike, with additional wire strands 3 extended transversely across the partition crate and additional strands 4 extended longitudinally or lengthwise of the partition crate, each spaced so as to reduce the size or area of each division space or compartment that receives each individual bottle, or vessel, so far as concerns the upper partition crate, as illustrated in Figs. 6, '7 and 9, or both upper and lower crates as illustrated in Figure 8. This is for the purpose of having the compartments or division spaces of the upper and also the lower compartment crate of appropriate size to receive bottles or vessels increasing in cross section between the top and the bottom, the upper partition crate having the smaller compartment or division spaces and the lower partition crate having the larger compartments or division spaces as illustrated in Figures 6, '7, and 9 of the drawings. The additional strands 3 and l (Fig. 4) serve also as spacers or guards which prevent the bottle or vessel in one compartment or division space from contacting with a bottle or vessel in an adjoining compartment or division space and thus avoids possible breakage by one bottle or vessel striking against another bottle in handling the container or box.

By forming the division spaces or compartments of the upper partition smaller in cross area than the division spaces of the lower partition, the transverse strands 3 and the longitudinally exending strands 4 of each division space of the upper crate may bear against the wall of the bottle or vessel around the smaller diameter of its wall and the division strands of the lower compartment may bear against the wall of the bottle or vessel at its lower portion and the article thus be held against sidewise movement, with the result that there is no likelihood of breakage of the article if it be made of fragile material. In such modified form, the lower partition may be placed in position in the container and then the bottle or vessel be seated in a compartment of the lower partition, and the upper partition then be placed in position, with the reduced upper portion of the bottle or vessel fitting in one of the division spaces or compartments of the upper partition. In such case the upper partition may rest upon the swell in the wall of the bottle or vessel as illustrated in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, and when such is the case the upper partition must be removed before the bottle or vessel is taken out of its compartment or division space. The transverse and the longitudinally extending strands andalso the spacing or guard strands will be so disposed in relation to each other that they will function for the purposes stated. This feature is susceptible of various modifications of which several illustrations are shown in the drawings. In the form illustrated in Figure 6 the bottle or vessel has to be positioned in the container before both partitions are placed in the container. In the illustrations given in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 the lower partition may first be placed in the box or container, and then the bottles or vessels, and next the upper partition.

In the various forms illustrated, the bent ends of certain of the strands constitute legs to support the crate more or less above the bottom of the box, and the bent end portions of other strands will extend upward along inner faces of the box and terminate substantially along the line of the top edges of the box so as to abut against the under face of the top or cover when placed and secured in position. The bent ends of some of the strands of the upper partition crate, for instance the ends 7 of the strands 6 may extend downwardly so as to be capable of resting on the bottom of the box, while the bent ends 5 of the longitudinally extending strands 4 will lie against the inside faces of the end walls of the box and terminate substantially on the line of the top edges of the end walls so as to abut the under face of the lid or cover when the latter is secured in place, and thus the two partition crates are held against movement in shipment or handling of the box. It will be observed that in all forms of the invention the formation of the partition crates is substantially the same with the exception that the upper partition is formed with smaller compartment spaces or divisions for the upper portion of bottles that are smaller in diameter than the lower portion; otherwise the partition crates in all forms of the invention have substantially the same features and function in substantially the same manner.

In one embodiment of the invention the transversely extending strands of the uppermost crate may have the bent ends 7 omitted as that partition may rest upon and be supported by the swell in the body of the bottle as illustrated, but they may be used in all forms if desired. The partition crates formed as described possess the advantages which have been specified, and also possess other advantages obvious to persons skilled in the particular art to which the invention relates.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred details of construction it is to be understood that variations may be made therein and some of the advantages sought be obtained.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits what I claim is:

l. A box or container partition-crate formed of strands disposed in intersecting relation to form open division-spaces to receive bottles and other articles, certain of the strands having end portions deflected substantially at right angles to the plane of the crate to constitute legs to rest upon the bottom of a box and support the crate above the bottom.

2. A box or container partition-crate formed of strands in intersecting relation to form open division-spaces to receive bottles and other objects, certain of the strands having end portions deflected substantially at right angles to the length of the strands to constitute legs to rest upon the bottom of a box and support the crate, and other strands having end portions likewise deflected in the opposite direction to the first mentioned deflected end portions, said projected end portions being positioned to contact with an inner wall of the box or container, said two sets of deflected end portions serving to position the partition-crate within the box and prevent its movement from its position in the box.

3. The combination with a box or container, of a plurality of partitions disposed one above the other and each formed of strands disposed in intersecting relation to form open divisionspaces to receive bottles and other objects, certain of the strands of each partition having end portions deflected substantially at right angles to the length of the strands to constitute legs for supporting the respective partitions, and

other strands of each partition deflected in the opposite direction to the partition supporting legs and positioned to contact with an inner wall of the box or container, said deflected end portions of each partition serving to secure each partition against movement perpendicular to the plane of each partition.

4. The combination with a box or container, of a plurality of partitions disposed one above the other and each formed of strands disposed in intersecting relation to form open divisionspaces to receive bottles and other objects, certain of the strands of each partition having end portions deflected substantially at right angles to the length or" the strands to formlegs for supporting the partitions, and other strands of each partition deflected in the opposite direction to the leg supporting portions, the deflected end portions of the strands of each partition, serving to prevent movement of the partitions perpendicularly to the surface-plane of the partition, the division-spaces of the upper partition being of smaller cross area than the divisionspaces of the lower partition, to adapt the uppermost par ition to be seated on and supported by the wall of an article having difierent diameters and fitting in registering division-spaces of an upper and a lower partition, the deflected end portions of the partition strands serving also to prevent movement of the partitions in relation to the longitudinal axis of the objects fitting in the division-spaces.

5. A partition-crate for a box or container, said crate formed of strands in intersecting relation to form open division-spaces to receive bottles and other objects, certain of the strands having end portions deflected substantially at right angles to the length of the strands to constitute legs for supporting the partition crate, and guard strands disposed in relation to the strands forming the division-spaces to prevent contact between objects fitting in adjacent division-spaces of the partition-crate.

JOHN EARLE WOOTEN. 

